Bye Bye Beetle
by ChibiPencil
Summary: A seed blooms into a flower,but the flower wilts. It's time to say goodbye to Lydia.
1. Chapter 1

When you're a kid you seem to posses a certain magic. Your imagination is stronger as well as your ability to believe in the supernatural.

But as we age and grow up we loose this part of ourselves in the process.

It is not a bad thing that this happens.

Like a flower,a part of us wilts and dies so to produce a seed. A seed that will grow into a strong tree of who we will be.

It's just a part of life.

Beetlejuice knew that the day had come when Lydia no longer needed him.

She had just celebrated her fifteenth birthday when she called him for the last time.

She appologized for not visiting with him in so long. That she understood why he was mad at her.

He wasn't angry at her.

He had grown used to her infrequencies to the neither world long ago.

No,his lack of luster was due to what he had to do if her truly loved the girl.

Yes, he loved her very much. Not a romantic love,tho he feared it could come to that.

She had become a beautiful young woman physicaly, and for the first time in his life,or after-life as it were,he detested his letchery.

It was her mental state that concerned him the most.

Of course, being concerned of anyone but himself was out of character for him,but Lydia had made him change in more ways than he'd like to admit.

For the better,honestly.

The least he could do for her was to leave for good.

She was still the same little girl she had been when they first met. It wasn't right.

He knew it was his fault somehow that she had been unable to fully progress to being a normal teenager.

He said she looked very pretty. She had grow up into a lovely young woman,from the little scrawny spider she once was.

She laughed.

She was the only person that could tell his sense of humor from his meaness.

She always brought out the best in him.

He talked about her friends and how she had become a popular person as of late.

She said he was her best friend.

How painful those words were to his decrepit heart.

He told her she didn't need him any more.

She started to politely protest.

They were so touchy at that age. He couldn't bare to hear her make excuses for him. He covered her mouth with his hand before another word could be uttered.

She stared at him with sad puppydog eyes.

He repeated again that she didn't need him any more,hoping his meaning would reach her.

It didn't matter now,she would understand in time. He leaned over an placed a kiss in her hair. He wished her a happy birthday and went back to the mirror that linked them.

"Goodbye,Lyds." he said solemly with a smile and smashed it to pieces. Through the tickling of the glass,as he faded back to the neitherworld,he heard her say his name one last time.

I'll submit a new chapter if I get enough reviews.


	2. Chapter 2

I own nottin'!

* * *

Time marches on and life's storms both batter us and make us grow.

The little town of Peaceful Pines has had an overdue face lift and renamed Winter River. New subdivisions have been built and tourism had come to the town from a neighboring city.

Winter River has become a little suburbia. With new homes came new children. Who became new teenagers that needed a place to hang out.

Where else but the local Mall?

In that mall is a little shop. The store was dimly lit,as was her corner of the mall. It was nestled in the west wing of the mall,lowest level,behind the escalators. An ideal place for her boutique. Only people that were truly interested in her trade goods would visit her in this hidden location.  
When they had first opened the store she removed the brilliant white lights outside the entrance and replaced them with more relaxing amber bulbs. It made everything about the shop more eerie and kept the riff raff away. The rumors floating around helped too. Rumors circulated were as diverse as from sightings of ghosts in the windows of the store, to people being spirited away in the doorway. All these stories were supposed to of happened after hours when no one was in the mall except for security guards and cleaning crew. Who themselves had never reported anything out of the ordinary after hours.

Lydia's Boutique was a legend in the mall. She chocked it up to clever lighting ,good press, and wild imaginations.

Lydia owned the boutique with her two childhood friends,Bertha and Prudence.

They went to college together until Bertha dropped out after she became pregnant. They all still stayed together especially after Bertha's boyfriend ditched her and their unborn child.

It was a hard time for all of them.

After college they opened Lydia's boutique again to make money quick over the christmas holiday. It became so sucessful that it became their main jobs for the past ten years.

Outcast when they were younger,Bertha and Prudence had become far cries of what they had been as children.

Bertha had stayed the tallest girl around,but no longer had her horrible overbite and frumpy appearance. Her hair was now a vivid purple pink pixie cut,while her body was lean and trim. She had her left brow and lip pierced as well as a couple of tattoos on her bod. She liked wearing Lydia's punk and male lines of clothing.

Prudence was a different story. She had never out grow her awkward appearance and opted for plastic surgery. She had lasic done to rid herself of those goofy glasses. Then had almost obscenely large breast implants. It was all she needed to make herself feel more self confident.

She looked fine before to Lydia,but if Prudence was happy, then Lydia was happy.

After her surgery,Prudence started wearing makeup and dyed her hair golden red.

Lydia was happy. But late at night ,if she laid awake in bed ,she'd always get the feeling that she had forgotten something very important.

* * *

That black hair reflected a secret whisper of violet as the light hit it just so.That pale skin that rivaled the moon on any given evening.  
Those other worldly eyes...if you stared into them they made you feel like you were looking into another demension.  
She was like a vapor in this world. At times he could swear she was a mist that could pass_ through _this world and into the next.

That's how he saw his beautiful and ghostly 'Auntie' Lydia.She wasn't really his Aunt,just his mom's best friend.Today he was supposed to meet his mom at the boutique after school. That was the routine on Fridays. Otherwise his mom's long time boyfriend,Ash,would pick him up.

A high pitched little shriek pierced the air behind him. "Edward!"

He jumped at the sudden noise. It was Annie.

A little girl with golden masses of twirling hair hurried to catch up with him. She stopped a foot in front of him and caught her breath.  
"You forgot about me again,Edward!" she panted.

Edward sweat dropped. He hadn't forgotten about her. He had _intentionally_ left her behind.  
"Umm..sorry about that." he lied.

"It's ok!"she smiled brightly.

He had just met Annie this year. A red balled whomped him on the head at recess one afternoon shortly after school had began again in September. She had accidently knocked it over the stone wall that separated the Girls school from the Boys. After that she assumed that they were friends and followed him where ever he went.

"Where are we going?" she asked.

_He_ was going to meet his mom. He wonder if he should tell her that? Maybe he should tell her he had to go to the bathroom and ditch her again that way...

He wasn't that mean. "I'm meeting my mom."

"Really?"she asked in an overly enthusisatic way.

He groaned to himself,but still let her follow him. She followed him like a happy little lamb. Too bad she was stupid,otherwise she'd leave him alone when she saw_ where_ his mom worked. All the kids at his school were too scared by all those bogus rumors about Lydia's_ 'Spooky' _Boutique to ever go near it. That and there were just book shops and older people stores around this area of the mall.

Suddenly he noticed she wasn't following him anymore. He looked back at her. A sly smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.

"What's the matter,Annie..?'' he asked sinisterly.

She stood in a daze. Her wide blue eyes looked blankly on for a while.

Edward imagined a fuzzy television screen on inside her brain.

She suddenly flinched. "Oh! Did I nod off again?" she giggled obnoxiously. "I'm sorry!"

Why did she always appologize for everything!? It was one of the many things about her that drove him insane. Edward slumped over in disappointment and walked into the boutique. The little bells chimed as he passed through the doorway.

"Hi there son! How was your day at school?" his mother said from behind the counter. She have him a curious look. "What's the matter with ya, fella?"

The bells chimed again as Annie popped through the doorway and made a b-line for Edward.

He gave his mother a miserable look.

Bertha looked wide eyed from Edward to Annie and back again. Then she let out a big good hearted laugh. "So who's you're little friend Ed? You've never brought anyone with you into the shop before."

"My name's Annie! It's nice to meet you!"Annie gushed.

Edward reached a new level of misery. His mom and Annie started jabbering in that annoying happy tone that girls get when they're excited. Then a cool hand touched his shoulder.

"Hi there Ed. Would you like to help me with a few new items in the back?" asked Lydia.

Edward nodded furiously. After they were safely in the back room he let out a big sigh. "Thanks Lydia.."

"_Lydia?" _she said with a sarcastic tone. "Since when to you call me just _'Lydia'_ ?"

He blushed and instictivly shoved his hands in his pockets. "Since now."

"Well that's fine." She patted him on the head then opened a box on the floor. There were thin plastic cylinder shaped bottles of a clear shocking yellow fizzy drink inside. She opened one and took a drink. She made a sour face and passed it to him. "Try it and tell me what you think, Ed."

He took a swig and made about the same face as Lydia. "What is it?"

"It's a new energy drink made special for the store,but it doesn't have a name yet."

He took another sip. It wasn't as bad the second time around,but still had a lot of kick. He glared at he drink and thought a moment.

"Beetlejuice." he said outright.

"Beetlejuice?" Lydia echoed.

"Yeah. Beetlejuice."

"Alright then!" Lydia clapped her hands once and stood up. "That's what we'll call it."

* * *

Reveiw meee...REVEIW MEEE 


	3. Chapter 3

Inspired by the awesome MC Chris song on his new album. :D

Review..REVIEW!! DX

* * *

Lydia was having another one of those nights again.

"Damn fizzy drink."she cursed as she looked at the bathroom clock displaying fifteen past one in the morning. She brushed her teeth with cinnamon toothpaste and straightened up the counter top.

She still didn't feel sleepy.

With a sigh,she continued cleaning in an effort to tire herself out. When had the entire bathroom spotless Lydia slumped against the wall with flushed cheeks and messy hair. She looked back at the clock to find it at ten after two. She groaned then washed her tired hands. The cold water felt good she decided to give her face a few splashes. Water droplets trickled down her neck and chest,which she quickly chased with a soft cobalt hand towel. After a few little swears and a straighten up black silk camisole and shorts she took a good gaze at herself. "Maybe if I lay down I'll drift of.."she said to herself reflection.

Lydia swaggered perposly to her cozy bed and flopped in it. She rubbed her eyes and wiggled under the indigo and ivory satin folds,turning onto her side drawing the comforter over her shoulders. She lay awake,her eyes open looking at her childhood room. It felt empty and lonely to her. She spent very little time by herself here for a reason.

"Beetlejuice.", she said echoing her thoughts with a huff of breath.

Lydia closed her eyes not wanting to see anymore.

The dark translucent figure stood on the other side of the bed. Luminescent yellow eyes gazed silently at the petite woman's back. His thinned hands were resting in his pockets. If he had a heart,it would have leaped when she said his name. For a moment he thought she knew he was there.

He walked straight throught the bed and gazed at the tiny form below him.

"_If she only knew what I had to go through to heed her call..._" he thought with a nip of bitterness. He would have liked to be mad at her,but that was impossible.

She was all grow up now. His Lyd's. She had obviously done very well for herself. And that strangely made him feel proud. Perhaps validation that she_ had _been better off without him. He _did _do the right thing for once in his miserable afterlife.

Poor kid. Beetlejuice reached out a ghostly thin hand and softly touched her brow. "_Go to sleep Lyd's. Sorry I kept you up_." he breathed as he removed his hex from her.

She slept the whole night,and he dwelt there till sunrise.

* * *

Edward sighed heavily. The bus was late and,as always, Annie was there early. She was going on about that stupid show with all the singers on it trying to win a million dollars or something. Why the heck was she waiting with him anyway? She wasn't supposed to be riding on his bus,_even if _the creepy old bus driver liked her. He said that she reminded him of his niece,but Edward didn't really put that much faith in it.

Needless to say that when the bus came he would hold Annie's hand until they got to school.

Today was the same. As they boarded he took her hand and she shut up for a few seconds until they sat down.

The bus only had a few boys on it. Most of the guys at the preparatory catholic school he attended had drivers to take them there. Only people that made it in by the skin of their teeth took the bus.

"Edward?"Annie's worried voice pipped.

"What?"he asked more annoyed sounding than he intended.

"Will you come to my dance recital on Sunday?"she asked in her sweet little voice and giving his hand a little squeeze.

"I'll think about it,Annie."he lied again. It's was getting pretty easy to lie to her. The more he did it the easier it got...

Like he would really want to give up his free time to watch her make an idiot of herself on some stage.

"All off!"shouted the bus driver as the bus screeched to a stop. With a loud scream almost,the doors opened and they all filled out. Edward let go of Annie's hand and she blissfully unaware waved goodbye to the pedo bus driver.

"Doesn't that guy give you the creeps at all Annie?"he asked her with a raised brow.

"No."she responded with wide-eyed innocents.

The cathedral bell sounded it's first bong signaling the start of classes.

"Just be careful around him okay!?"he shouted to he as he dashed up the stairs of his school.

"Okay!"she called back skipping quickly to her school down the road.

She hadn't been on time for class since she met him.

* * *

"I want his boney ass in here right now!!"

Thick green smoke wafted through the air. A little grey woman in a suit stormed through it and down a hall of panicked ghosts and ghouls. Papers were everywhere,strewn about in a frenzy. Chaos reigned everywhere but around the little grey woman who personified an aura of law and order. She burst into her office and picked up a red old fashioned phone and dialed 666-6666. Her commanding rough voice rang down the halls and into all of the realm of the undead,"Skellington Jacques LaLean! Report to my office immediately!"

"I knew zis had somezhing to do with Beeetaljuice!"Jacques exclaimed,throwing his skeletal arms in the air. Grumbling,he drew a door on the wall with a piece of emergency chalk and knocked three times.The door flew open and he was swept in.

"Took you long enough!"Juno barked feircly at the pile of bones on her floor.

Jacques rearranged his bones back into order. "Zis haz somezhing to do with Beetaljuice dozen't it?"he stated more than asked.

"Of course it has everything to do with Beeteljuice!"she raged. A beautiful,but dead,woman with duct tape wrapped around her waist came in and dropped off a stack of folders on Juno's desk.

"Thank you Julia."Juno took the first file and peered in as Julia left. She only glanced at the name in the file and jerked back in disgusted aggravation. "Good GOD!"

Jacques got himself completely back together."Vat iz it?"

"Your tenant has really made a mess this time!"she scolded. "He not only let loose every single ghost in the Lost Souls room,mind you me that's bad enough,but he also ripped a huge rift between the Neither World and the Living World!" Juno dropped in her chair and viciously thumbed through the files on her desk.

She sighed,"And he was doing so well...

"Why am I here?"Jacques asked cautiously.

Juno looked at him. "I need you to bring that backstabbing,troublemaker back here to fix this mess!"

Jacques was taken back. "Moi?"he said incredulously.

"Besides myself,and maybe one or two others,he is the only one with enough supernatural power to return all this back to normal!"she stated lighting up a cigarette."The whole '_Ghost with the Most_' thing isn't just a bunch of bullshit."

Jacques had suspected that Beeteljuice had a little more power than your average poltergeist,but never thought that he was considered on par with Juno.

"You're leaving immeadiatly."Juno said sharply after putting out her cigarette. She took out a key from inside a long gash in her throat and opened a drawer in her desk. She pulled out a gold ring and locked the drawer back.

"You can't go into the Land of the Living looking like that."she held the ring up to his face."Use this when you get there. It's a Lazarus Ring."

Jacques couldn't stop the shocked look on his skull.

Not missing a note,Julia came in with a suit and started putting it on Jacques,much to his embarrassment.

"You'll have a living body for only tweleve hours in a day so find somewhere to hide when your time is up!"Juno ordered as she straightened up the white scarf tucked into his suit jacket.

Julia drew another door on the wall with black chalk.

"You know how to get back once you get him."Juno said sticking the ring in his hand and then folding it around the precious item.

"But vhat about-!"Jacques stammered as he was pushed through the doorway into the Land of the Living.

"Don't mess this up LaLean!"Juno yelled as the door closed."You'll be fine!"

As the door dissappeared,Jacques found himself in a stunned silence down an empty,dark alley.

Only one word came to mind at that moment."Crap..."

D:


End file.
